Hair clipper



Sept. 24, 1929. J. DEAN 1,729,322

HAIR CLIfPER Filed Sept. 2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY I

Sept. 24, 1929. J DEAN 1,729,372

HAIR CLIPPER Filed Sept. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j INVENTOR.'

W ATToRNEY.

Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES JOHN DEAN, F RAGINE, WISCONSIN HAIR CLIPPER This invention involves the provision of scissors-like finger operated actuating means for hair clippers having parallel toothed relatively-reciprocatory cutter blades; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanations of the accompanying drawings that illustrate what I now believe to be the preferred me- 1 chanical expression or embodiment of my invention from among other forms, constructions and arrangements, within the spirit and scope thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide 1 hair clippers of the parallel reciprocatory cutter blade type with finger operated scissors-like lever actuating means, and to provide an improved finger actuated hair clipper as distinguished from the common hand operated hair clipper while retaining cut-ting means of the same type as employed in the hand hair clippers in common use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View my invention consists in certain novel features in construction, combinations, or arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinaften Referring to the accompanymg draw- Fig. 1 shows in top plan a finger operated hair clipper embodying my invention, certain hidden parts being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan with the finger levers partially broken away.

Fig. l is a horizontal section.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 6 is a detail front elevation of the housing or frame.

Fig. 7 is a detail cross section of the hair clipper.

The clipper of my invention embodies a bottom cutter or comb plate 1, and an upper reciprocatory cutter plate 2, and these two cutter plates have cooperating rows of forwardly projecting cutting teeth 1, 2, respectively, at their front edges, broadly as in the hand hair clippers of commerce. The rows of parallel forwardly projecting cutting teeth Application filed September 2, 1926. Serial No. 133,149.

1 2?, form the straight-transverse front edge portion of the cutter, and the cutter plate 2, 1s confined to straight line reciprocation at right angles to the longitudinal front to rear axis of the hair clipper or transversely of the hair clipper.

The cutter plates are carried by a vertically thin or shallow strong rigid flat frame, housing or box having flat top wall 3, parallel depending longitudinal edge walls or flanges 3*, an open bottom except for the flat rear bottom bridge wall 3 an elongated rear horizontal slot 3 opening forwardly into the space between the wall 3 and the bridge 8, and a front end that is open except for the vertical depending straight guide edge or flange 3 and the central elongated vertical depending lug 8 The normally-stationary comb or bottom cutter plate 1, is relatively large in dimensions to form the approximately flat bottom wall of the clipper and the under surface thereof is formed to constitute the bottom contacting face or shoe of the clipper while the front portion of the under side of this plate is bevelled forwardly to the bases of the tapered teeth, as usual. This plate fills the bottom opening of the housing and projects forwardly from the housing. The longitudinal side and the rear edges of the plate are formed to fit and abut the inner edges of the housing flanges 3 and the front edge of the housing bridge wall 3 whereby the plate is maintained properly positioned and centered by the housing against relative lateral and twisting movement. However, said abutting edges of the plate and housing are formed to permit relative vertical sliding contact for limited relative vertical adjustment of the plate toward and from the top wall of the housing.

The longitudinal side edges of said bottom plate are preferably straight and parallel and at right angles to the straight front edge of the plate formed by the row of teeth 1 and the same is true of the inner surfaces of the housing edge flanges 3 that contact the said side edges of the plate to accurately maintain the plate in the housing with its transverse front cutting edge at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the clipper.

The front portion of the bottom plate, in rear of the cutting teeth, is formed with a central vertical opening or mortise 1", that removably receives the depending lug or tenon 3 with a vertically slidable fit.

The cutting mechanism is held in operative condition and the assembly of cutter plates and housing is maintained, by the clamping bolt 4 and its finger nut 4", and spring washer 4 The bottom blade 1, has a central vertical hole to removably receive bolt 4, and this hole is countersunk at its lower end to receive the bolt head flush with or above the bottom surface of the blade 1. The wall 3, of the flat housing is formed with central bolt hole 3 for the removable passage of said bolt, so that the threaded upper end of the bolt projects upwardly beyond the top wall 3 of the housing to removably receive the tension washer 4 and the finger nut 4 The reciprocatory cutter blade 2, is formed with a top guide way or groove 2 parallel with the front edge of the blade to slidably receive the guide edge 3 of the housing, and with a vertical slot 2, for the passage of the depending lug 3 The blade 2, is thereby confined to straight line reciprocation in a path parallel to the transverse front edges of the upper and lower blades.

The rear edge of the upper blade is located in advance of the clamping bolt 4, and the bottom faces of the upper blade and its teeth bear down on the upper faces of the lower blade and its teeth in sliding engagement, and are thus held by the action of the lower blade and the guide edge 3* of the housing, between which the upper blade is clamped under the desired tension, through the medium of the clamping bolt.

A suitable abutment is provided against which the upper side of the rear end portion of the bottom blade 1, bears and on which it, in effect, rocks, as the clamping bolt is tightened or loosened to vary the pressure of the front end portion of said blade against the upper blade.

Suitable spring means is provided to actuate the upper blade in one direction and to normally yieldingly hold said blade at its limit of movement in such direction. For instance, without desiring to so limit my invention, 1 show a V-shape expansion spring 5, within the housing and compressed between one end of the reciprocatory blade 2, and t 1e adj acent edge wall 3 of the housing.

I provide laterally swingable scissors-like finger levers carried by the housing and projecting rearwardly therefrom in approximate longitudinal continuation thereof and preferably of flat formation to not exceed the vertical thickness of the housing, and having leverage operating connection with the blade 2 to actuate the same on its straight line throw.

I employ a pair of flat rearwardly projecting swingable finger loops or members having eyes or loops, to receive either the forefinger of the left hand or the thumb of the right hand, while the other finger loop or member is to be actuated by the thumb of the left hand or one of the fingers of the right hand.

Various leverage connections can be established between the two finger levers, and the straight line movable blade 2. As an example of a desirable leverage connection, from among others that can be employed, I show, the rear edge of the blade 2, formed or otherwise provided with a toothed rack 6, parallel with the front edge of the blade, and in constant mesh with a toothed pinion 7, loosely mounted and centered on the cylindrical portion of the clamping bolt 4, and located between the top face of the bottom plate 1, and the under face of the housing top wall 8.

The fulcrumed end of the right hand finger lever 9, is provided with a toothed pinion or gear wheel 8, in constant mesh with the pinion 7 and concentric with the axis or fulcrum of said lever.

In the example shown, the pivot or fulcrum for the linger lever 9, is formed by a screw pin or bolt 11, arranged in rear of the clamping bolt 4, and screwed into and depending from the top wall 3 of the housing with its lower end arranged over the rear end of bottom plate 1, and forming the rear abutment therefor hereinbefore mentioned.

A left finger member is employed to also constitute a finger lever, such as 12, Figs. 14, and such finger lever 12, is fulcrumed and confined to the housing by fulcrum or pivot pin 13, parallel wit-h pin 11, and bolt 4, and secured to the housing wall 3, and this lever 12, has a toothed pinion 14 fixed thereto concentric with fulcrum 13 and. in mesh with gear 8. By this arrangement, the two finger levers 9, 12, are geared together to act as one and cooperate in moving blade 2, with a minimum tendency to laterally rock or swing the body of the clipper, the housing and blades, during the clipping operation, as it is desirable to maintain the front edges of the upper and lower blades squarely across or at right angles to the direction of forward movement of the clipper during the clipping operation.

It will be noted that the flat finger members extend forwardly into the housing, through the rear slot 3 and that said members move longitudinally of said slot during their swinging movements, and are braced against vertical movement by the adjacent walls and edges of the housing.

In order to shorten the rearward projection of the finger members beyond the housing and at the same time provide for the desired lateral swing of the members and the desired leverage without increasing the lateral width of the housing, the front end portions of the levers within the housing extend laterally of the housing toward each other while the portions of the levers at the exterior of the housing extend rearwardly.

Advantages are gained by providing the scissors-like action, inasmuch as users are familiar with the action and operation of scissors, and furthermore the clipper of my invention can be easily operated by either hand, and possesses various other advantages from the standpoints of both the manufacturer and user, compared with the bulky hand clippers which cannot be readily operated by either hand or conveniently carried in the pocket, or made in very small sizes. The clipper of my invention can be easily pro duced in operative useful small sizes as well as larger sizes.

In my companion patent application filed March 7, 1927, Ser. No. 173,47 7, for improvements in hair clippers, I make claims to and based on that feature of my invention involving the location of the bottom cutter or comb plate within a bottom opening of the housing and slidably engaging and centered by the housing walls, with the reciprocatory cutter plate located between the upper face of the comb plate and the housing top, and the housing and plates held assembled by the tension bolt, and hence no claim thereto is made in the instant case.

It is evident that various changes, modifications. and variations might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the approximate eXact disclosures hereof What I claim is:

1. A hair clipper comprising a housing, upper and lower cutter plates carried thereby and having front transverse rows of complementary cutting teeth, the upper plate having a straight line path of reciprocation and provided with a toothed rack parallel with said rows of teeth, and finger actuated operating means for actuating said upper plate embodying two free-end laterally swingable levers both at their front ends mounted in said housing and operatively geared to said rack to cooperate in reciprocating said upper plate.

the same by the cooperating actuating swing of said levers 8. A hair clipper embodying a comb plate; a cooperating reciprocatory cutter blade; a housing; a tension bolt holding the plate, blade and housing assembled, a finger lever having driving connection with said blade to reciprocate the same, a separately fulcrumed cooperating finger lever, and gearing joining said two levers to simultaneously swing in opposite directions and cooperate in reciprocating said blade.

4. A hair clipper having a pair of finger levers separately fulcrumed thereto, each lever having a fixed gear concentric with its fulcrum, said gears meshing to require the levers to simultaneously swing in opposite directions, a reciprocatory cutter blade, and a blade actuating transmission for translating rotary motion into rectilinear motion for reciprocating said blade by the cooperating swing of said levers.

5. A hair clipper embodying a housing; a toothed comb plate; a relatively narrow toothed reciprocatory cutter blade eooperat ing with said plate; means for maintaining the assembly of housing, plate and blade under the desired tension; a pair of finger levers for reciprocating said blade, said levers being positively geared together to simultaneously swing toward and from each other; and means directly connecting one of said levers to said blade to reciprocate the blade by the cooperating swing of both levers.

Signed at Racine, WVisconsin, this 26th day of August 1926.

JOHN DEAN. 

